My advice for anyone looking to break into car collecting on a budget is to avoid setting your sights on one model year, make, or model. After all, there are so many great classics out there for sale in decent condition that you just have to be willing to let your car find you. I have a feeling that this 1953 DeSoto Firedome is one of those cars. Few collectors earnestly search for a DeSoto sedan, but upon seeing this one, they may change their minds, especially when they see the asking price: $7,000. Brought to us by Barn Finder T.J., who found it here on Marketplace in Spartanburg, South Carolina, this Firedome has a Hemi V8 under the hood and a “car next door” fifties nostalgia that is bound to be a fun experience.
I’ll bring it up every time: Chrysler Corporation’s engine program in the 1950s was baffling and fascinating. They really didn’t seem to have the volume to produce three different Hemi engine families, but they did it anyway; Dodge, DeSoto, and Chrysler all had their own version of the basic hemispherical head architecture. In 1953, DeSoto’s engine was a 160-horsepower 276-cubic-inch unit that breathed through a two-barrel carburetor (which has recently been rebuilt on this car). The seller says that the Hemi doesn’t smoke or leak, and there’s a video posted in the Marketplace ad of the engine idling. I seem to hear a bit of rhythmic engine noise; it almost sounds like the fuel pump since it’s louder on the passenger side of the car (but diagnosing engine noise from a video is nearly impossible, as the noise is always magnified). Take a listen if you’re interested, and definitely check the car out in person if you’re risk-averse.
The radiator has been recored and the brakes have been redone. The tires are newer, and a nice upgrade is a 6-volt alternator conversion (the original generator will come with the car).
The interior appears to be in great shape, and it should; it’s been complete redone with original-style upholstery. Everything inside works except for the radio and clock.
The DeSoto also has one of the myriad Chrysler attempts at “almost automatic” transmissions; in this case, it’s the one of the two “Tip-Toe Shift” options. The seller says that the “semi-automatic transmission shifts well [with] no issues,” and of course, part of the fun of owning this DeSoto will be learning how it works.
The paint is older, and there are a few bubbles on the driver’s door bottoms, but overall, the car looks great. It could use some trunk weatherstripping for sure, but those are the minor things you run into when you’re buying a car for under ten grand these days. Nothing’s perfect.
The color seems to be close to “French Blue,” but it could easily be a “close enough” alternative from the body man’s paint book. It’s a nice-looking color either way, perfect for a fifties sedan.
This Firedome (sometimes spelled Fire Dome, by the way) is one of those cars that makes me wish I were better at selling things I buy. Unfortunately, I tend to get attached to my old cars and have a hard time getting rid of anything, but wouldn’t it be fun to have a “rotating” classic? One that you could experience for a few months to a year and sell to move on to the next one? Since that’s not me, I’ll have to leave this DeSoto to someone else, but it looks like a good value for someone who’s looking to try out something a little different.
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